Three small words
by kobitah
Summary: Once again, my attempt at giving Emily the kid she mentioned in "Demonology". And tying it in with her "disappearance" in Season 6. Imagine Adam Brody as her son. The first 10 chapters are about Hotch's burgeoning friendship with him, with hints of HP.
1. Chapter 1

**_AN: I know I have no right to write a new story, but after watching a youtube video the other day I couldn't help but think about the how it would be if Prentiss' son was Adam Brody. Couldn't get these thoughts out of my head so here it is. Hope you like it._**

**_Please read and review._**

* * *

><p><span>Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity<span>

Déjà vu all over again… that's what it was. The same feeling in the pit of his stomach reminding him, as it had before, that he'd lost someone he truly cared for... someone he relied on. He'd lost a friend.

He sighed as his eyes read the etchings on the cold grey stone.

EMILY PRENTISS – OCTOBER 12, 1970-MARCH 7, 2011 – FIDELITY BRAVERY INTEGRITY

Hotch could think of so many words more fitting for the woman they had just "buried". Of course, he knew that she wasn't really gone… but he couldn't help to think about what their team had lost, even if it was just temporary. They had lost an integral part of their team, a well-oiled machine that had managed to heal after the loss of Elle, and Gideon... then JJ. He wasn't sure how much more the team would have to sacrifice before they all gave up the fight.

This wasn't the first time he'd come to see her. Her absence on the team was becoming more painful with each passing day, and even though Hotch knew this would pass, he couldn't help but miss her. In his work, and in his life.

Emily had become so much more than just another colleague. She was a friend. And once his mind reached that point, he was again reminded how much he wished she was even more than that. He'd never allowed himself to go beyond thoughts, to actions, but his mind had certainly taken him there. Wondering what it would be like to spoil her, to hold her... to truly know her. The kinds of thoughts that required follow-up with a cold shower and a hard slap of reality. The reality that, even without the supervisory boundaries, they were on the same team. And Hotch had given up a marriage for this job. He didn't think he had it in him to give away the job for a _chance _at a relationship with Emily.

He was roused from his thoughts at the sound of footsteps crunching the leaves on the ground and looked up, surprised at whose face greeted him. Hotch stood and wrinkled his brow as he held out his hand.

"Ambassador."

Elizabeth looked up at the stern face of Aaron Hotchner, trying to hide her surprise in finding him here. Holding out her small hand to shake the one he offered, she attempted a smile. But it fell flat. After all... there wasn't much to smile about these days.

"Agent Hotchner," she replied wearily, "I must say I'm surprised to see you here." Although Elizabeth knew that "surprised" was an understatement, she certainly wasn't going to show more to the stern man in front of her. So she simply smiled and waited for him to respond.

Hotch dropped his gaze to his feet and pushed his hands into his pockets, shrugging, "It's been awhile since I came to visit her."

At the Ambassador's inquisitive gaze, Hotch swallowed over the lump in his throat, "She was important to me… to our team. It's what she deserves."

Hotch couldn't help the guilt that overwhelmed him as he watched the Ambassador's face. The worry-lines on her forehead more prominent, dark circles under her eyes, her skin more pale than before. She had aged since he last saw her, the grief too much to bear. The loss of her only, and dearly beloved daughter. Three small words could cure that grief. _Emily is alive_. If only he could tell her. If only he wouldn't jeopardize Emily's safety… the safety of everyone she loved… loves.

Elizabeth looked past Hotch as her eyes fell on the headstone. The grass had grown over the grave, and there were new flowers to the side. Amongst the flowers there was a small teddy bear… no doubt from Emily's dear friend, Penelope. Held by the bear, a small chess-piece. Elizabeth wasn't sure of the origin of that, but it was most likely from a colleague. As much as she loved her daughter, and respected her choices, she was always concerned that Emily had chosen her work over having a normal life. In fact, she had chosen her job over LIFE.

Stomping down on those bitter thoughts, wanting only to remind herself of the good Emily had achieved, Elizabeth stepped past Hotch and ran her hand over the cold stone, crouching down to place the bouquet amongst all the others. A tear dropped from her eye and she reached up to pat it away with her gloved hand. Pushing herself up once more, Elizabeth turned to speak to Hotch when she heard a voice from behind her.

"Grams."

Hotch looked over Elizabeth's shoulder and saw a young man, about 20 years old. He was dressed in faded jeans and a Yale hoodie, with thick, black, curly hair and big black eyes. He looked… familiar… but Hotch couldn't quite place it. He just watched curiously as the young man made his way over to the Ambassador. He continued to watch, growing more and more curious as the Ambassador turned and hugged the young man tight.

"Zachery," Elizabeth gasped, hugging the man as hard as she could. She sighed and stepped back, looking up at him and smiling proudly, "Didn't I tell you to get a haircut about a month ago?" Elizabeth asked as she ran her fingers through the dark curls.

Zac smiled and rolled his eyes, "I'm sorry… I've had a few things on my mind… you know, studying for finals, picking my thesis topic, and…" his smile disappeared as his eyes dropped to the headstone. He shook his head and smiled sadly, "But the important thing is I'm here now." Zac looked up from Elizabeth's face, and smiled awkwardly at Hotch, before grinning once more at the woman in his arms.

Elizabeth returned his smile and nodded, squeezing Zac's arms before stepping back and clearing her throat. She nodded at Hotch and smiled awkwardly, "Uh… Zachery, I'd like you to meet Agent Aaron Hotchner. Agent Hotchner, this…" Elizabeth paused and squeezed Zachery's hand, "This is Zachery Prentiss… my grandson."

Hotch smiled and held out his hand for the young man, shaking it soundly before realization took over. He couldn't help his eyes growing wide as he took in the information. Ambassador Prentiss only had one child. Which could only mean…

"It's so great to meet you, Agent Hotchner," Zac started, pushing his hands in his pockets, "Mom told me so much about you… about all of you." He paused for a moment, staring at his feet before looking up at Hotch once again, "She was really proud that she could be a part of the work you guys did."

Hotch blinked rapidly before his mind caught up with the conversation, and he realized that he was supposed to answer, "Well we were really proud to have known her… she was a remarkable woman."

Zac huffed and nodded, smiling proudly, "She was."

The three stood in silence for a moment. Elizabeth- overjoyed to see her busy grandson; Zac- stunned to finally meet "The Aaron Hotchner"; and Hotch- amazed that in the years that he'd known Emily Prentiss, he still had no idea who she really was.

Elizabeth smiled sadly at her grandson, before clearing her throat and glancing over at Hotch. "We were going to head over to the University for some lunch. Would you like to join us Agent Hotchner?"

Hotch wrinkled his brow and glanced between the two Prentiss', before shaking his head. "No, thank you though," he replied, "I was taking a long lunch to come over here today. I'd best get back to the office."

Elizabeth nodded and, much to Hotch's surprise, leant forward for an awkward hug. Hotch squeezed the small woman gently before taking a step back. He held a hand out to Zac and smiled sadly, "Good luck with your finals." Then with one last look at Emily's grave, he turned and made his way back to the sedan.

Zac wrapped a long arm around his grandmother's shoulders and squeezed, "I'm thinking… Roof Terrace?" Elizabeth smiled and nodded, leading the young man across the lawn towards the waiting town car. As he helped his grandmother into the car, Zac looked up to see Agent Hotchner's sedan as it disappeared through the cemetery gates.


	2. Chapter 2

**_AN: Hi all! Thanks for the reviews so far. I've just got some editing to do for the rest of the story. It'll work out to be 10-12 chapters. Keep the reviews coming. _**

**_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds. _**

* * *

><p><span>Who is that?<span>

Garcia was heading down the hall, on her way to pick JJ up for coffee, when she heard a familiar voice coming from the elevator bays.

"I'm not sure if he'll be free to see you… Agent Hotchner's a very busy man."

Garcia watched as Anderson exited an elevator, accompanied by a rather attractive male specimen. Thick dark curls, dark eyes... there was something familiar about him. Though… Garcia checked out his checkered sneakers and Zoo York t-shirt… probably a little too young, even for her.

"I understand that, Agent... Anderson," the stranger replied, "But I need some information, and when I asked my grandmother she suggested I start with Agent Hotchner."

"Who's that with Anderson?" JJ asked, surprising Garcia and making her jump. Garcia swatted JJ's arm and rolled her eyes, "You're lucky I don't carry a gun, missy," Garcia squeaked, ignoring JJ's question and returning to her spying. The two women watched as the two men pushed through the glass doors, Anderson leading the stranger through the maze of desks that made up the BAU and towards the stairs.

"And I repeat," JJ sighed, "Who's that with Anderson?"

Garcia shrugged and grabbed JJ's arm, dragging her into the bullpen, "I don't know… but they don't call me the oracle because I mind my own business." JJ groaned, knowing full well the consequences of following Garcia on her "expeditions", but also knowing herself enough that she was curious about this visitor. She had also thought the face familiar, but couldn't quite put a finger on who this stranger was. And what he wanted with the BAU.

The two women looked on as Anderson pointed to Hotch's door. As the young man made his way up the stairs, and Anderson turned to leave, Garcia gasped. "Doesn't he know it's end-of-month… the boss man is going to eat him alive!" she shrieked as the he reached the landing and took the final steps closer to Hotch's door.

JJ chuckled and shook her head, "Better him than us." Pulling on Garcia's arm, JJ tugged her towards the doors again, "Let's go before we get caught in the cross fire."

Garcia allowed the small blonde to lead her away, but she couldn't help one last look as the young man tapped on the door. As he opened it and stepped inside, Garcia and JJ reached the elevator bank and lost sight of the stranger at Hotch's door. Stepping into the elevator, Garcia smiled slyly behind JJ's back as she pressed the button, all the while thinking to herself that she only needed to wait until after lunch, then she could return to her lair and find the truth.

* * *

><p>Hotch scribbled his signature across one more write-up, breathing out as he closed the file and dropped it on the growing pile ready for records. He looked over the slowly-depleting pile of files yet to approve and sighed heavily. He was sure they would find him one day, buried in a mound of papers. Just as he was about to flip open the next folder he heard a knock at the door.<p>

"Come in."

"Uh… Agent Hotchner?"

Hotch looked up, instantly recognizing the voice, and surprised at it's sudden presence in his office. He hadn't expected this. He smiled and stood from his desk, "Zachery. How are you?" Hotch asked, holding out his hand.

Zac chuckled and shook the older man's hand, "Please… call me Zac. Only Grams calls me Zachery… and Mom when I got into trouble." At that revelation, Zac looked down at his feet, before clearing his throat and raising his eyebrows nervously.

Hotch smiled sadly, directing the younger man to the couches in the corner, "In that case, Zac, please call me Aaron… or Hotch."

The two men sat, Zac in the chair facing Hotch's desk, Hotch in the lounge by the window. Hotch leant forward and cleared his throat, "So what can I do for you Zac?" he asked nervously. Truth be told, Hotch was hoping to avoid a reunion with this young man until he knew what was happening with Emily. At least that way it was one less person to feel guilty about.

Zac looked up nervously and bit his lip, "Uh… This is probably going to sound really strange but…" he paused and twisted his fingers in his lap, "In the five years or so that Mom worked with you all…" he chuckled nervously, "I didn't really get to see a lot of her. She was working or I was overseas or studying. And… I swear Grams still sees me as the two year old who was afraid to walk on wet grass so she won't tell me a thing…" Zac paused and took a deep breath, sighing as he shook his head, "I just want to know what happened. Why she died."

Hotch wrinkled his brow, but before he could answer, Zac spoke up again.

"Of all the people she spoke to me about over time, she always had the most respect for you, Ag… Hotch," Zac continued, "And I just figured I'd have more luck getting a straight answer from you, than from my grandparents…. I mean I love them, but I'm not a kid anymore. And I can take anything you need to tell me."

Hotch laced his fingers together and breathed in nervously. He should've known this was coming, after their chance meeting at the cemetery. He should've assumed that Emily's son would be just like his mother, and wouldn't stop until he got the answers he was looking for. Hotch took a moment to consider his options, before thinking of a solution. When he finally looked up, he could see that he wasn't the only nervous one in the room.

"Believe me, Zac, when I tell you that I really would like to talk to you about all of this…" Hotch's voice trailed off and he could see Zac's face fall. Hotch held up a hand to calm him before he continued, "My son is visiting his aunt this weekend so maybe you'd like to come over and we can talk over pizza and beer." Hotch huffed nervously, "It will probably be an easier conversation if alcohol is involved."

Zac smiled sadly and nodded, "I'd like that," he replied, pausing momentarily before he looked up again, "I'll bring the pizza."


	3. Chapter 3

**_AN: So I don't really know what the rules are on family finding out about what a family member has done with the CIA/Interpol etc. so I'm taking creative licence and assuming that Zac would have to get some sort of clearance. And given that his grandmother is an ambassador, and taking into account the field of study/work that I'm giving to the character, I'm giving him reasonable clearance to assume that Hotch can give him most of the details. _**

**_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds. _**

* * *

><p><span>You Should Know<span>

"So Yale?" Hotch asked, reaching into the fridge and pulling out two Millers.

Zac wrinkled his brow, then looked down at his sweatshirt and chuckled, "Oh… huh. I forgot I was wearing this." He paused then cleared his throat, "Uh.., I did my undergrad there. Prentiss' have been going there for four generations."

Hotch huffed and nodded, "Family obligation huh?" he asked, handing over one of the beers.

Zac shrugged and smiled, "You could say that I guess… but their program is pretty good and they've got some of the best professors in the world. And there's still no party like TDwight party."

Hotch chuckled and took a swig of his beer, "So what are you up to now? I assume you're not still at Yale?"

Zac shook his head and sighed, "I'm at GWU, doing my PhD in Microbiology and Immunology."

Hotch raised his eyebrows and nodded, "That's ambitious."

Zac raised an eyebrow and shot Hotch an incredulous look. "Did you ever _meet _my mother…? Emily Prentiss. One of the most intelligent people in the known universe."

Hotch huffed and nodded, his eyes glazing over as his mind carried him away, to places he hadn't been in months. He hadn't allowed himself to think of Emily too much since that fateful night in March. It was dangerous territory, and he couldn't imagine where it would lead. One thought every now and then was ok, but to start to think of her on a regular basis could be catastrophic. It could lead him to do things he really shouldn't. Like hunt down Ian Doyle and put a bullet through his forehead. Or tell her son that his mother was alive.

Hotch was broken from his thoughts when Zac cleared his throat. He looked up and saw the young man watching him with that same look of curiosity and understanding that Emily had. How he missed that look, even if he did see it in his dreams.

"So I don't mean to harass you about it but… speaking of Mom…" Zac prompted.

Hotch sighed and nodded. He'd made a promise, and he was a man of his word. And when it came down to it, he owed it to this young man to tell him the truth. Or at the least the version of the truth that was known to the rest of the world.

He took a moment to gather his thoughts, and do a quick run-down of the script he'd learnt so well.

"What do you know about the work that your mom did before she came to the BAU?" Hotch asked, wondering how much this young man actually knew about his own mother.

With a wrinkled brow and a beating heart, Zac thought for a moment, "She graduated from the Academy in 1996, then we kind of moved around for awhile. Spent a couple of years in St Louis, a couple in Chicago. Then I went to live with Grams and Pop for a few years when she got posted overseas. I can remember one summer visiting her in… Rome I think. Then she was stateside again when I was a senior and we lived in Denver. Then… well then she came here."

Hotch nodded and took a sip of his beer, "Well… that's _almost_ all true."

Zac wrinkled his brow and shook his head, "What do you mean?"

Hotch sat forward on the couch and put his beer down on the table. He rubbed his hands together and sighed, "Your mom's posting was overseas, but it wasn't with the Bureau." Hotch looked up to check that Zac was following. By the impatient look on his face, Hotch assumed that he wasn't catching up yet, and continued.

"She was tasked by Interpol to work on a team. I can't give you too much detail… in fact what I've told you already is too much… but she worked on profiling terrorists."

Hotch paused, to give Zac a minute to absorb what he'd been told so far, and to give himself a minute to think of what to say next. He waited for Zac to nod before he continued again.

"The last case she worked… it became personal." Hotch's voice caught in his throat as his mind went over those horrible weeks.

"What do you mean, personal?" Zac asked, "And before you get too concerned, know that I'm the grandson of an Ambassador, and I did an internship at the CDC's Bioterrorism unit so I have ample clearance."

Hotch looked up, straight into Zac's eyes, and sighed. Knowing he couldn't hide behind the "clearance" excuse, he continued.

"One of the cases Emily's team worked on involved her going undercover, infiltrating a well-known organization, and bringing down one of the key figures. She wasn't only responsible for gathering the intelligence that would have him arrested, but she was also responsible for building a profile that would help the interrogators to get more information from him." Hotch paused for a moment, watching Zac process the information. When Zac looked ready for Hotch to continue, he took another deep breath, "The man that Emily profiled... escaped from prison earlier this year, and came after her. And to get her attention, and that of the others she worked with, he started to take out families."

Zac closed his eyes and dropped his head. It was all becoming clear. The conversation his mom had had with him, about five weeks before she died. The conversation that meant he'd packed his bags.

"She said it would be the perfect time to take a gap year and travel," Zac sighed, "She got so excited... actually," Zac's face was overcome with realization and dread, "She was relieved... when I told her I got an internship with WHO and that I'd be on the research team based in the Pacific."

Hotch nodded and smiled sadly, "She was protecting you, Zac… she didn't want him coming after you."

Zac shook his head and stood, "So what happened then… he found her and killed her?"

Hotch sat back in the seat and shook his head, "No. That's not quite the whole story." Hotch paused again, taking note of the younger man's body language. "Why don't we take a break… it's a lot to take in at once."

Zac shook his head and put his hands on his hips, "No… I need to hear it all."

Hotch paused for a moment, before nodding. Zac was a smart kid. If he said to continue, who was Hotch to argue?


	4. Chapter 4

**_AN: So I don't know about the NBA schedule, but I just needed two teams. _**

**_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds. _**

* * *

><p><span>You wanna stay?<span>

Hotch sat back in the couch and sighed. Peace and quiet. A miracle in his house, especially since spring had begun and Jack was free to run in their (small) yard. And today, with his best friend's birthday party and sleepover, Hotch would have the whole place to himself.

He'd started, rather sadly, with a couple of loads of laundry, followed by making up some meals to freeze for the week. While Jessie always insisted that she was happy to cook when Hotch was out of town, he always tried to freeze a couple of meals for those emergency situations. Or for the inevitable times when Jessie was exhausted chasing after her fireball nephew and couldn't be bothered cooking. He'd tidied the bathroom, cleaned the kitchen, and put away the inevitable toys that managed to find their way out of Jack's room and into the main living areas.

But now, at 11am, Hotch was ready to relax. Jack would be well taken-care-of at Caleb's house until the following afternoon, and Hotch was going to take full advantage of it. A six-pack of beer, cash to order pizza, and a backlog of TV shows saved on the Tivo.

Picking up the remote, he flicked on the television and found the Discovery Channel, kicked back and took in the soothing sounds of Sir David Attenborough, freeing his mind of serial killers, MO's, and paperwork.

* * *

><p><em>"It's me." <em>

_Hotch closed his eyes in dread when the words filtered through his ears. Surely they were playing tricks on him again and he hadn't just heard Emily offer herself up to this monster, to save Reid. Much to his dismay, his worst nightmare was about to come true with the sounds of Emily being pulled out of the room. _

_"I told you not to put me into this position." _

_The slap of Cyrus' hand against Emily's face was clear, Hotch's heart breaking at the sound. A boot to the gut... And all he could do was listen. _

_"We've gotta go in," Hotch pleaded with the others. _

_"We'd be risking the lives of everyone in there," Rossi countered, knowing full well the pain that his friend was going through, but being certain that many more would die if they tried to get in now. _

_Hotch's head hung low, his pulse practically bursting through his skin, listening to the glass shatter and Cyrus misquote Scripture. _

_"I can take it." _

Hotch suddenly sat up, glancing up at the clock. 2pm. He ran his hands down his face, prickles already emerging from his chin, and sighed. His shirt was sweaty, and his heart was beating fast. It had been more than two years since that day and he could still remember it like it was yesterday. He was so angry with Emily at first, for risking her own life. But when he thought about it more, he knew that he constantly did the same. That was the example that he set - that he could be the hero, no matter the cost. And now look... Emily was somewhere out there, with no back-up from her team, her family, in order to keep those very people safe.

A knock repeated at the door and he jumped, wondering if that's what had woken him up. Pushing himself up from the couch, Hotch ambled over to the door and peeked through the peephole, huffing at the distorted picture of Zac.

"I'm sorry to bother you Hotch," Zac sighed when the barely-conscious man opened the door. Holding out a small box, he smiled awkwardly, "I just wanted to come around and say thanks for the other night."

Hotch returned the smile and took the offered box, while he stood back for Zac to enter. "You didn't have to do this Zac," Hotch insisted, closing the door behind him, "You deserve to know what happened."

Zac shrugged and followed Hotch to the lounge, dropping onto the couch while the older man took the armchair, "I know that… but you could've just told me the bare minimum, or made up a story, or just told me to insist that Grams told me." Zac paused, "But you didn't. You were honest and you told me and now I know."

Hotch swallowed hard over the lump in his throat, and ran his hand through his hair, "In any case, thanks for the gift." Opening up the box, Hotch couldn't help but chuckle. "I've seen this before… when your Mom tried to quit the BAU and I persuaded her to stay."

"It's a Prentiss thing… well… not so much Grams, but Pop and Mom did it all the time," Zac chuckled and shrugged, "The hardest part is getting the M&M's to stay on top of the cookie, and not sink."

Hotch admired the giant cookie with the words "Thank you" written across it in candy. "Well I think the tradition has been successfully passed on to the next generation," he huffed, "Well done."

Zac patted his hands on his knees and smiled awkwardly, "Well, I better let you get back to your afternoon," he paused, "Thanks again Hotch."

Hotch tipped his head towards the television and raised his eyebrows, "I was actually planning to watch the Celtics game…" Hotch paused, "Did you wanna stay?"

Zac smiled widely and nodded, "That'd be great," he replied, "And if Celtics win – I buy pizza. If Knicks win – you buy."

Hotch held out his hand and the two men shook, "Get ready to pay up, my friend."

* * *

><p>Zac held up his hands, cheering loudly as his voice allowed, "Cmon Caramello!" And as the ball sunk through the hoop, Zac cheered even louder.<p>

Hotch sat back, shaking his head and sighing deeply. He picked up the phone from the base unit and dialed the number, "Here you go, order anything you want. And a pepperoni."

Zac chuckled and dropped back on the couch, taking the phone from Hotch's hand, "I wonder if Pizza Hut delivers those giant foam fingers, or maybe a crown."

Hotch rolled his eyes and pushed himself up from the couch, "Do you want a beer, Mr Humility?" he chuckled.

Zac smiled and nodded, as he placed their order and hung up. "So where's... uh... Jack is it?"

Hotch nodded and handed over the beer, "Jack's at a birthday party and sleepover tonight," Hotch explained, "It's his first one so I'm half-expecting a late-night call asking me to pick him up."

Zac chuckled and shook his head, "I don't know how long it's been since you've been to a sleepover, but I can remember my first one... we stayed up all night, watching scary movies, and playing practical jokes on the ones who fell asleep."

Hotch shrugged and sighed, "Well, either way, I'm just glad that Jack was up for it... the last couple of years have been hard on him so it's good that he's getting a little normalcy in his life."

Zac wrinkled his brow, "Mmm... Mom told me about... I mean..." Zac's voice trailed off, not knowing where to end that particular sentence.

Hotch shook his head, "It's fine," he assured the young man, "We've had a rough couple of years, but he's adjusted well." Hotch paused for a moment, "I don't know if she told you this, but your mom was a big help when Jack's mom died."

Zac turned and faced Hotch, shaking his head, "She didn't tell me much, just that she was helping you out a bit."

Hotch nodded, "She did a lot more than 'a bit'... she came around to check on us, made us meals, babysat Jack while I went to the lawyers and school and realtor... she went above and beyond."

Zac huffed and sat back in the seat, "How did you explain it all to Jack, I mean... what happened to his mom?"

Hotch paused, thinking back to that day, "I was honest with him. I told him that Mommy had gone to heaven, and that he wouldn't see her anymore." Hotch paused, "I know it hurt him initially, but that was a hurt I couldn't save him from - no matter how hard I tried - so I figured the truth was the best thing for him."

Zac nodded, "Well, you've got two sons who lost their mothers, who appreciate the truths you had to tell them."

Hotch huffed and pat Zac's arm, offering him a smile. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say any more, a knock sounded at the door.

"You ready to pay, old man?" Zac teased, laughing when Hotch tossed a cushion at his head before he headed to the door, wallet in hand.


	5. Chapter 5

_**AN: This is for romiross, who suggested I bring up the topic of Zac's father. And I figured there was a bit of a hole in the story so... hope this is sufficient. **_

_**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds. **_

* * *

><p><span>He's not "dad"<span>

Jack squealed, his face lighting up as he sped down the large slide. Zac glanced over at the boy and laughed loudly, gripping the potato sack he sat on. When they reached the bottom, Jack ran straight to his dad, Zac following soon after.

"Daddy! Did you see me? I was going to fast!" the boy cried, jumping into Hotch's arms.

Hotch chuckled and nodded, "I saw it! That looked like fun." Hotch looked up and smiled at Zac, "You doin alright there?"

Zac rolled his eyes and held his stomach, "Riding a potato sack down a giant slide was probably a bad idea after a beef burrito."

Hotch nodded and chuckled again, "You live, you learn." He glanced at Jack, then back at Zac, who was becoming more pale by the minute. Nodding over to the large grassed area, Hotch pat Zac's shoulder, "How about we go and sit down for a minute?"

Zac smiled and nodded, "That's probably a good idea."

The three made their way over to the big empty patch of grass, finding a nice shady spot to sit back and watch the fair. There were rides galore, tons of people… and at 6 – the circus show would begin.

Zac lay down on the grass, while Jack spun around in circles, the fairy floss he'd consumed enough to last him till he went to bed. Hotch sat back, keeping an eye on both of them, enjoying the feeling of the last remnants of sun before it disappeared for the night.

"You've got a good kid there, Hotch," Zac mumbled, watching the small boy play.

Hotch looked on proudly, "I do…" Hotch paused and looked over at Zac, "And so do your parents."

Zac huffed and shook his head, "Apart from the whole conception-moment, I only ever had one parent, Hotch."

Hotch wrinkled his brow and swallowed hard, the idea of Emily raising this boy on his own, "What about your father?"

Zac sat up, brushing his hands down his jeans and retying his shoelace, "I only met John a couple of times. He was still in Rome when Mom and I moved back to the States, then he went to college in the UK. And he's always traveled for work. So I never really knew him."

Hotch smiled sadly and nodded, "When was the last time you saw him?"

Zac shrugged and looked in the direction of the photo booth, "He was at Uncle Matt's funeral… uh… couple of years ago." He paused and looked over at Hotch, "Did you ever meet him? John I mean."

Hotch shook his head, "I _saw _him, when he came to the office once… and during a case when we went to his house… but I never met him."

Zac nodded, "She did a good job of fooling everyone, hey?"

Hotch huffed and shrugged, "We all have our reasons for keeping secrets… your mom is no exception."

"It's a pretty big secret to keep though… sure I was in college already so it's not like she had to organize sitters for when she went out of town but… I've never felt like Mom was ashamed of me, just maybe she was scared of what people might think."

Hotch wrinkled his brow, "I don't think Emily could ever be ashamed of having a son like you, Zac."

Zac shook his head, "I know… I guess I just always remember what she said people were like in high school." Zac looked over at Hotch, who nodded for him to continue, "Mom was always super honest with me about what it was like for her. The whispering behind her back when she turned up to school pregnant, the looks from teachers when the principal made them aware of my existence… she had it pretty tough at school." Zac paused and shrugged, tugging at an imaginary thread on the hem of his jeans, "I guess I always figured she didn't tell you guys about me because she was afraid the same thing would happen… at least at first. And then by the time she got to know you all, maybe she just couldn't bring herself to reveal that secret."

Hotch nodded and looked up as Jack ran over to them, "Well if anything, I'm glad I have the chance to know you now, Zac."

Zac smiled and stood, taking Jack's other hand as the three of them headed towards the big top, "Me too Hotch."

* * *

><p>Hotch smiled as he ran his hand over Jack's back, the exhausted boy unconscious the second his head hit the pillow. He leaned over and kissed the small boy's hair, whispering goodnight before he made his way out of the room.<p>

He walked down the hall, stopping in the kitchen to pour himself a drink, before heading straight for his desk. He opened up his laptop, quickly running over the moral and ethical issues once more, before deciding that he wasn't doing this out of curiosity or malice, but out of care for his new friend.

He opened up the database and typed the names and dates-of-birth in. He watched the spinning circle as the computer did its job, waiting for the inevitable results to pop up. When they did, he nervously hit "Enter" and waited for the page to load.

_John Thomas Cooley, DOB: 17/01/1971, POB: Manchester, Connecticut, Current Location: Washington DC. _

Hotch wrinkled his brow. The man was in DC. His son had lost his mother. They were living in the same city. Hotch felt a wave of frustration and disgust wash over him. How could this man not take the time to even visit his son. Sure, as Zac had said, they might not be close. But there had to be some sort of familial obligation to visit your son when his mother died. Hotch shook his head and slammed the laptop shut.

Picking up his cell as he stood and made his way to the couch, Hotch opened up a new message.

"_Hey Zac, just wondering if you're up for a movie day tomorrow? Going to introduce Jack to the classics - Little Rascals and Milo and Otis._"

Hotch switched on the TV and flicked through the channels, waiting for a reply. Sure enough, second later, he heard the low beep.

"_Absolutely. I'm a sucker for a pug-nose pup riding a turtle. I'll bring the popcorn." _

Hotch chuckled and smiled, texting back the time and other food requests. He sighed and sat back, not really paying attention to the basketball game on the TV, and thinking over the events of the day. Given what was bound to happen when Emily returned, Hotch knew that Zac would need someone. And if his real father wouldn't be that someone, Hotch was more than happy to accept the role.


	6. Chapter 6

**_AN: Thanks for the reviews guys. Glad to read you're enjoying the story. Please keep reading and reviewing. Just to let you all know, there's about 14 chapters in this whole story. I'll be uploading them every couple of days. _**

**_Also, for those regular readers, I just uploaded a new chapter for "Indefinable" so figured I'd promote it in here. _**

**_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds. Or David Bowie. :( _**

* * *

><p><span>Need a hand?<span>

"_Still don't know what I was waiting for… And my time was running wild... A million dead end streets..._"

Hotch stood on the stairs, watching as Zac and Jack (yes, that had made him chuckle just a week ago) made their way through the front door, the older one carrying a large box of kitchen utensils while the younger one dragged his soccer ball beanbag along the ground. When they rounded the corner into the kitchen, Zac dropped his box and stood, smiling at Hotch.

"I'm fine with the pop-culture education you are awarding my son with, but please," Hotch smiled sarcastically, "No spaceman suits or crazy make-up… I beg you."

Zac chuckled and nodded, "Of course, I never would… although if you ever do see photos from my childhood… "

Hotch raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders, following the younger man down the hall and back out to the truck, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised… I did see that yearbook photo your mom despised."

Zac wrinkled his brow as he took the box that Hotch passed him, "What photo?"

Hotch chuckled as he followed Zac up the driveway towards the house, "Oh there is so much you don't know, son."

Zac grinned at Hotch and chuckled, "So should I expect a lesson sometime soon?"

Hotch shrugged and followed Zac into the kitchen, "I think I can shake out the cobwebs and tell you some stories," Hotch replied, "Your mom was certainly entertaining."

* * *

><p>Sighing heavily as he dropped onto the couch, Zac looked around at their hard work. The bulky furniture had been left to the professionals, but the three of them had managed to get a pretty big chunk of the moving done. Jack's room was all set up, Hotch's would be finished the next day, and most of the living areas were ready.<p>

And as much as he usually avoided heavy lifting like the plague, he'd found that he'd enjoyed the day. He'd now met Jack a couple of times, gone round to Hotch's for dinner... he'd even met Jessie. And he'd enjoyed getting to know Hotch. Zac wasn't entirely sure what feelings this man had had for his mom, but he'd long-suspected that his mom had been attracted to Hotch. Every time they talked, somehow his name would come up. In any case, Zac was just enjoying the time he'd spent with the Hotchner's, and the stories and information that Hotch readily gave him about his mom.

Zac looked up when he saw a beer appear by his shoulder, and smiled, "You read my mind," he chuckled as Hotch sat down in the armchair.

The agent leaned over and held out a folded piece of paper, which Zac took warily.

"What's this?"

Hotch smiled coyly and tipped his head towards the paper, urging Zac to open it.

"Oh my god… is this what I think it is?" Zac paused, taking in the picture, "Where did you get this? Is it real? Who found it?"

Hotch chuckled and nodded, "Garcia found it one day… not too sure what she was up to. But your mom couldn't believe that it was real. She denied it. Until Garcia managed to get an original copy of that yearbook direct from the school."

Zac shook his head in awe as he took in the photo. The make-up, the hairstyle, the clothes… sure enough underneath all of that it was Emily Prentiss, but that picture said a thousand words.

"Mom was a junior in 87… so I would've been about one…" Zac paused and huffed, "I can't believe she ever looked like this… or that a girl who looked like that would have a one-year old son."

Hotch chuckled and shook his head, "I can't imagine you at one."

Zac huffed, "Apparently I was a bit of a daredevil… I was walking at about 9 months old so by the time I got to one I was driving my mom and grandparents crazy!" He paused for a moment, quickly reminiscing the childhood days spent wandering the great yards of the various embassies and estates that landscaped his childhood. "I have this awesome picture of me and mom sliding down the banister at mom's grandmother's house in Hartford."

Hotch huffed and nodded, "I think I remember that house…" At Zac's curious look, Hotch continued, "I was doing security clearances for your grandmother's staff. I started with the house here in DC, then we had to travel to the houses in Hartford and Birmingham."

"Did you meet Mom when your were assigned there?" Zac probed, wondering how far back his Mom and his new friend went.

Hotch nodded, his eyes glazed over as he remembered first meeting Emily Prentiss. "She was getting ready to leave for Yale," he explained, "I had only been on the assignment for a couple of days so I was still getting the lay of the land at the DC house and I was running late. I must've taken a wrong turn somewhere and ended up in the library.

"Emily was standing on top of one of the ladders, trying to reach a book on the very top shelf. It looked like she was about to fall down so I called out to her," Hotch huffed, "She got such a fright she almost did fall."

Zac chuckled and nodded, encouraging Hotch to continue.

"I told her to climb down, but she just glared at me, before reaching up again and grabbing hold of the book and tossing it down to me. When she hopped back down I handed it to her and told her to ask for help next time. She took the book from my hand and smiled sweetly, then said

"'_Everyone has the right to make his own decisions, but none has the right to force his decision on others.' _If I had simply asked for help and you'd tried and gotten hurt, I would feel terrible. If I'd hurt myself, I would only have myself to blame."

Zac's brow wrinkled as his mind thought about the quote. Suddenly realization swept over his face and he huffed. "Ayn Rand."

Hotch stared out the window on the opposite wall, admiring the moon rising behind the silhouette of the capital, and sighed. "Your mom was an amazing woman, Zac… I hope you never forget that."

Zac smiled sadly at Hotch and nodded, "Yes sir."

* * *

><p>Hotch's eyes eased open, gradually becoming used to the dark room he was in. He glanced around, looking for the clock, and when he found it his eyes popped open. He looked down to find a blanket had been laid over him, and his beer, now warm, was sitting on the coffee table.<p>

Hotch looked around the room, finding no one else around. He reached up and ran his hands over his face, wondering if he should drag his tired body up to bed or just sleep there in the armchair. His aching back made the decision for him as a spasm ripped through his spine.

Standing and stretching, Hotch folded up the blanket and lay it on the back of the armchair. Yawning, he decided against a trip to the kitchen and made his way up the stairs.

He quickly checked in on Jack, who had developed a habit of kicking off his blankets during the night and contorting his body into the strangest positions. Hotch didn't understand how the boy didn't have a permanent crick in his neck, but so far he'd been lucky.

Pulling the blanket back over the sleeping six-year old, Hotch kissed his hair and smiled.

As he made his way down the hall to his own bedroom, Hotch passed the guest room, and the sight that befell him made him smile.

Sprawled out like a starfish, Zac slept heavily, his feet hanging off the side of the bed. He must've been exhausted when he'd finally dragged himself upstairs, his body still dressed in his jeans and t-shirt, and lying on top of the blankets.

Hotch smiled at the sight, hoping that when Emily finally returned to them, she wouldn't object to his new friendship with her son. A friendship that had, so far, helped him through some fairly dark times in her absence.

Hotch quietly pulled the door shut, turned, and ambled into his own bedroom, collapsing on his bed and praying that he could get a sleep-in the next morning.


	7. Chapter 7

**_AN: _**

**_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds, or Pink Floyd's "Wish you were here", or the Rocky Horror Picture Show. _**

* * *

><p><span>How'd it go?<span>

Hotch couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped from his gut as he made his way down the walk to his waiting car. As he climbed in and reached for his belt, he turned the ignition and pulled away from the curb. He reached over and changed the station, huffing at the irony as the song began.

_So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell,_

_Blue skies from pain._

_Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?_

_A smile from a veil?_

_Do you think you can tell?_

Hotch's mind drifted away from his current location, taking him far from the streets of DC, and imagining walking down a cobbled street in Paris, where he would find her. He imagined finally being able to hold her again, being able to smell the faint scent of her perfume, hear the beautiful sound of her laughter, see the bright smile that lit up her face.

Hotch thought back to the last time he'd seen her, face-to-face. She was in his office, talking with Rossi and himself about the plan for catching Doyle, when Morgan showed up with news of two more victims. Prentiss had insisted on going with him to the crime scene. And that was it. She had come back to the office during the start of the briefing, but that time, in his office, was the last time he'd spoken with her... seen her.

_And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts? _

_Hot ashes for trees?_

_Hot air for a cool breeze?_

_Cold comfort for change?_

Hotch quickly did the math in his head, and his heart ached. Three months. Three long months since he'd seen her. And only God knew how many months before he would see her again.

He couldn't help but be ashamed at the time he had wasted. It wasn't like these feelings were brand new… nor were they a reaction to Emily's absence. This realization had been a long time coming, and only now was it dawning on him why he missed her so much. Why he thought about her constantly. Why he had essentially sabotaged this date, and every other one before, that Rossi had set up for him. Why he felt his heart restrict every time he heard Zac laughing, and heard Emily.

_And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?_

_How I wish, how I wish you were here._

Hotch quickly tapped the indicator and pulled his car over to the side of the road, his heart beating wildly, as he let the words sink in.

He loved her.

Hotch loved Emily.

He dropped his head back as his mind went over everything… every interaction… of the past six years. Every smile, every word, every touch.

_We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,_

_Running over the same old ground. _

_What have you found? The same old fears._

_Wish you were here._

His brain took in that information, while simultaneously absorbing the lyrics of the song. And he could only hope that it would not take that long until he saw her again. Until he could hold her in his arms, and tell her that he loved her.

Tapping the indicator once more, Hotch steered the car back onto the road and headed home.

* * *

><p>Zac looked up from his book as Hotch strolled into the kitchen, throwing his keys on the bench. He couldn't help but chuckle at the exhausted look on the older man's face.<p>

"I take it the date went well?" Zac teased, laughing more at the incredulous look Hotch shot at him.

"Did Jack get to bed alright?" Hotch asked, attempting to segue from the uncomfortable conversation. After his realization on the drive home, he had let his mind wander to the impact that this would have on his friendships, especially that with Zac. If Emily did want the same thing… to be with Hotch… then that would change the status quo quite substantially. And if Hotch broached the subject and she didn't want the same, then his relationship with Zac would still be impacted. Which in turn would impact Zac's relationship with Jack.

Hotch had been so immersed in his own thoughts that he didn't even hear Zac's answer. Rather than embarrassing himself and asking Zac to repeat what he'd said, Hotch simply turned and opened the fridge, grabbed two beers, and handed one to Zac.

Zac waited until Hotch made himself comfortable at the dinner table, reaching for _Kuby Immunology_ and flicking through the pages.

"How'd it go?"

Hotch sighed and sat back, prolonging his response time as he took a sip of his drink. As he brought the bottle back down to the table, he kept his eyes glued to the book. "It was… different."

Zac rolled his eyes and closed his notebook, focusing all of his attention on Hotch, "Could you think of another word to describe it?" he probed, "Who was she? What did you talk about?"

Hotch shrugged, "She was a friend of Rossi's editor. Her name was Janet. She likes cats."

Zac laughed loudly and pat Hotch's arm, "I'm sorry man," Zac sighed through his laughter, "But is it wrong that all I could think about was Rocky Horror?"

Hotch wrinkled his brow, before he realized what the kid was talking about. Chuckling he shook his head, "Only you would have this conversation and take _that _away from it."

Zac shrugged his shoulders and smiled around his beer, "Well… Mom believed in a thorough education. Which meant Rocky Horror, a Beastie Boys concert, and reading the _Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire_ by the time I reached puberty."

When he looked up, Zac noticed a pain he'd seen in Hotch's eyes before. But before he could question it, Hotch sighed and stood from the table, "Do you have an early day tomorrow, or are you up for a movie?"

Standing up and following Hotch through to the lounge, Zac shook his head, "Nope… I was planning on catching up with someone for lunch but that's about it." He paused and dropped on the couch, "What movie you thinking?"

Hotch placed the disc into the machine and hit play. As he turned the lights out and dropped down on the other end of the couch, a set of big red lips emerged on the big screen and Hotch could practically feel Zac's laughter roll on the couch.

_Michael Rennie was ill the day the earth stood still_

_But he told us where we stand_

_And Flash Gordon was there in silver underwear_

_Claude Raines was the invisible man_


	8. Chapter 8

Daddy and Mommy

Jessie smiled, listening to Jack excitedly explain the outcome of the latest battle royale between his action figures. She had to admire Zac's ability to stay completely immersed in the kid's conversation. Maybe it was a boy thing.

"So what have you two got planned for today?" Jessie asked the two boys, smiling when they looked up at her simultaneously.

Zac ruffled Jack's hair, "I was thinking we could pack a lunch, go to the park, feed the ducks... maybe take one of the boats out on the water... then some icecream."

Jack didn't say a word, instead offering his reply by nodding his head fervently.

"Careful there Jacky-boy! Your head'll roll right off," Zac chuckled. He stood and took the two brown paper bags that Jessie had packed already, offering her a smile, "What time does he need to be home?"

Jessie shrugged and kissed Jack's forehead, "Whenever you're ready to bring him home," she replied, "Aaron won't be back until at least the day after tomorrow so I'm going to have to do some grocery shopping, but that's all I've got planned for today." Jessie paused and squeezed Zac's shoulder, "I appreciate you helping out."

Zac bent down and threw Jack over his shoulder, the small boy squealing in response, "Yes, because it's such a tough job... getting to hang out with the coolest kid in the world."

Jessie shook her head and followed the two boys to the door, waving goodbye as they made their way down the sidewalk. Leaning back against the doorframe, she sighed, grateful to not only have the day to herself, but grateful that Jack had another positive influence in his life.

* * *

><p>Zac laughed loudly as he fell to the ground, dizzy from spinning in circles. He felt a small thud next to him and looked up to find Jack sprawled out on the grass. After just a moment, the six-year old was back on his feet and grabbing Zac's hand.<p>

"Cmon Zac! Let's do that again!" Jack squealed, eliciting a groan from his friend.

"You go right ahead there, young Hotchner," Zac chuckled, "I'll just sit back and watch."

Jack certainly didn't need any encouragement and went back to spinning in circles, while Zac looked on. He was sure that any second now the young boy would have some sort of fireworks show given the amount of ice cream he'd consumed after lunch. But Zac couldn't stop his fun… after all, that's what being a kid is all about.

Before long, Jack had collapsed again on the ground, his head next to Zac's, and the two of them watching the clouds in the bright blue sky. Zac felt sudden movement next to him and looked up to find the young boy watching him with a very serious look on his face. A look that reminded him of the boy's father.

"Zac…"

Zac looked back at the clouds and smiled, "Something I can do for you Jacky-boy?"

Jack was silent for a moment, before he lay down again, "We have a lot of fun together don't we?"

Zac wrinkled his brow in curiosity and huffed, "Affirmative."

Jack turned and chuckled, "What does affirmative mean?"

Zac smiled, "It means yes."

Jack nodded, finding that answer sufficient. "And I share my toys with you don't I?"

Zac huffed again and nodded, "Affirmative."

Jack chuckled momentarily, before sighing deeply, "Could you be my brother?"

Zac wrinkled his brow and looked over at the young boy, "I don't know if it's that simple Jack."

Jack sat up and crossed his arms, Zac following suit and facing him, "Why not? We have fun with each other, we share our toys. I love you and you love me. And my Daddy loves your Mommy and your Mommy loves my Daddy. And my friend Sam says that when you do all of that, it makes you a family. And if we're a family, then you're my brother… right?"

Zac huffed and smiled sadly, running his hands through Jack's sandy hair, "I do love you Jack, and it's great to hear that you love me too… but… my Mom's not here anymore… she… uh…" Zac swallowed over the lump in his throat, trying to think of an appropriate answer to give the young boy. But before he could, Jack beat him to it.

"But your Mommy's with the angels… the same as my Mommy right?"

Zac smiled sadly and nodded, squeezing Jack's small shoulder, "Right, buddy."

Jack wrinkled his brow in thought, before looking up at Zac, "If your Mommy's with the angels, then how come my Daddy talks to her?"

Zac's forehead scrunched in confusion, "When does your Dad talk to my Mom?"

Jack shrugged, "At night, when Daddy thinks I'm asleep, I hear him talking to her… asking her questions about things. He doesn't know I hear him, but I do." Jack paused for a moment and twisted his hands in his lap, "Sometimes I hear him crying."

Zac's heart hurt a little at that statement, unknown to his young companion. Zac pondered what this information could mean. He'd often wondered what his Mom had meant to his new friend, but he would never have asked him. And now this… it made him wonder again.

* * *

><p>Pulling into the driveway, Hotch smiled at the sight of Zac and Jack lying on the lawn, magnifying glasses in their hands. Four days was too long to be gone from his boy, but at least he had Jessie and Zac to spend time with him. Hotch climbed out of the car, leaving his bag and briefcase inside while he went out to see what the boys were up to. When he reached them, both of them looked up at him, through their magnifying glasses. Hotch chuckled and lay down next to Jack, leaning over to kiss his hair.<p>

"What are you two up to?" Hotch asked, ruffling Jack's hair.

Without looking up, both boys answered at the same time, "We're watching the ants."

Hotch huffed and nodded, "And what exactly are the ants up to?"

Taking the lead, still remaining focused on their subjects, Jack replied, "Some of the ants are searching for food, others are building the colony," he explained.

Zac looked up and smiled at his young protege, "I thought it'd be fun to build a worm farm with him, but I wanted to teach him about ALL of the bugs that live right outside the house first."

Jack sat up and pat his dad's leg, "We're gonna get worms and feed them scraps and make a compost heap!" he squealed.

Zac smiled, watching the father and son interact. "Well Jack, I guess now that Dad's here, I'll head off."

Jack wrinkled his brow and shook his head, "But we gotta catch the worms!" he whined.

Zac chuckled and pat Jack's shoulder, "It's ok buddy, I need to get my gear before we do that. And we need to build a compost box to put in the garden. We can do that next weekend if your dad doesn't have any plans."

Jack turned to Hotch and stuck out his bottom lip, "Can we do it next weekend Daddy?"

Hotch rolled his eyes and chuckled, "I'll think about it," he replied.

Zac smiled at Jack, "Jack do you think you could go inside and grab my cell and keys for me? I just wanna talk to your dad for a minute."

Jack nodded, hugging Zac tight, before running across the lawn towards the house. When he'd disappeared inside, Zac smiled nervously at Hotch.

"What is it, Zac?" Hotch asked, curiously.

Zac sighed and looked down at the magnifying glass in his hand, "I took Jack to the park on the weekend, while Jessie did the groceries... And..." Zac paused and cleared his throat, "Jack asked if we could be brothers. When I explained to him that it wasn't really that simple, he said... he said that we share everything and we have fun together and... he said that you love Mom, and Mom loves you... and he said that he hears you talk to Mom at night, when you think he's asleep..." Zac paused again, anxiously waiting for any sign from Hotch, "I just thought you should know."

Hotch's heart was beating hard, though he was sure Zac couldn't tell. He had always been good at hiding his emotions. He took his time processing the information. He was sure he'd never said anything around Jack about his feelings for Emily... but obviously Jack had seen or heard something. Hotch looked up when he realized he'd been silent for too long.

"I appreciate you telling me Zac... I... I don't know what to say."

Zac nodded and spun the magnifying glass in his fingers, "I know... I didn't know what to say either. He kind of surprised me with that one."

Hotch huffed and nodded, "He's more perceptive than I think I give him credit for."

Zac nodded again and pushed himself up from the ground. When Hotch followed, he pat the younger man's shoulder, "In any case, like I said... I appreciate you telling me. And I appreciate you handling it the way you did."

Zac smiled and pat Hotch's arm, "Anytime."


	9. Chapter 9

Just One Step

Hotch wrinkled his brow when the group walked through the heavy glass doors of the BAU. He didn't remember leaving the lights on in his office before they left to get her, but knowing how his mind was working when they got the call, it was more than likely.

Hotch turned as the others passed him on the way to their desks, and found that Emily had stopped just outside the doors. Her brow wrinkled, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth, she stood still in the empty hallway.

He slowly made his way over to where she stood, his eyes watching her closely as he moved near to her. Leaning his head down so he could keep his voice low, Hotch kept watch over her nervous face.

"One step, Emily… you just need to take one step."

Emily looked up to meet Hotch's gaze and smile awkwardly. So many thoughts were running through her mind at once. People she needed to see; things she needed to fix. But before she could do all of that, she first needed to take those last eight steps and push through those glass doors.

She felt his skin touch hers, wrapping his large, warm hand around her small cold one, and suddenly she was awake again. Aware of her surroundings.

Seeing that she'd broken from whatever trance she'd been in, Hotch gave Emily's hand one last squeeze before he let go. Then he walked by her side as she made those nervous steps towards the BAU for the first time in months.

The two agents made their way upstairs, Hotch stopping at the door to his office, Emily continuing towards the BAU room where the rest of the team was waiting. Hotch took one last look as Emily walked away, before he turned back to open the door to his office.

Stepping through the door, Hotch dropped his briefcase and go-bag on the floor near the coat-rack, then turned towards the lamp burning in the corner of the room. His heart almost jumped from his chest when he saw him sitting there.

"What is it with you Prentiss'… sitting in wait for me to come home?"

Zac chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know… maybe we like to jump on people when they're at their most vulnerable?"

Hotch smiled nervously and held out his hand for his young friend. He nodded towards the couches and followed Zac, waiting to speak until they were both seated.

"So what is it that you had me drag my sorry ass out of bed at 4am?" Zac asked, his mother's inquisitive nature shining through in the 25 year olds voice.

Hotch licked his lips as he sighed deeply, mulling over his choice of words in his mind before opening his mouth to speak.

"Before I tell you anything, I just want you to know that I consider you a friend… a good friend, Zac. And I only did what I did to protect you, and Jack, and your family…" Hotch paused, "I hope you know that."

Zac wrinkled his brow and nodded, a crooked smile on his face. "Of course Hotch… I've told you this before and I'll tell it to you again. You're more than a friend to me now… you're family."

Hotch smiled sadly and nodded. "I only hope that you still feel that way after I tell you what I need to."

Zac chuckled nervously, "Cmon Hotch… man you're killing me!"

Hotch huffed and nodded. "Ok." He paused and took a deep breath, running his sweaty palms together, "In March… when your mom got hurt chasing down Ian Doyle… she was… I mean…"

"Cmon Hotch. Spit it out man," Zac sighed impatiently.

"Your mom's still alive. She has been the whole time. We had to fake her death so that Ian Doyle would stop from killing everyone. And so that he wouldn't come after her again. She's been in Europe trying to track him down and the only other people that knew about it were a couple of higher ups at the CIA and Interpol, Agent Jareau…" Hotch paused his rapidfire story-telling to read Zac's face.

"And you."

Hotch dropped his head in shame and nodded slightly. When he looked back up, he didn't see anger or indignation on the younger man's face. Simply shock.

The two men sat in silence for a moment, before Zac's eyes grew wide and he stood up, Hotch following suit.

"Is she here? Where is she?"

Hotch breathed out a slight sigh of relief, before nodding and tipping his head towards the door.

"She's in the BAU room. I told her there was something I needed to do before I met the rest of the team in there."

Before Hotch could stop him, Zac had thrown open the door. He chased the younger man across the landing, towards the BAU room. When he reached the door, Zac pushed it open.

Emily looked up from the file in front of her, and immediately her eyes were filled with tears. Tears of joy, of sadness, of guilt, and of longing. She had waited for this moment and seeing her beautiful son through the doorway had stunned her. She was paralyzed. Hotch appeared behind Zac, his hopeful face giving her the courage to stand from her seat. But before she could move an inch, Zac's face changed. And instead of joy, it was cloaked with anger. Resentment. Betrayal.

Emily felt a tear drop from her face as she moved toward Zac, and when her hand touched his arm, he flinched. Emily was horrified as she watched Zac turn and rush away, across the landing. Emily brushed past Hotch, chasing Zac across the walkway and calling out his name.

As he reached Spencer's desk, Zac turned to face Emily and Hotch, his cheeks stained with tears. "I mourned you. You were dead. You…" he choked mid-sentence, before swallowing over the lump in his throat, "You are dead."

Emily watched in agony as her son turned and walked away, not waiting for an elevator and opting for the stairs. Suddenly, her grief turned to anger and she turned to Hotch. When she reached him, still standing near the door to the BAU room, she threw her fists at his chest, taking out her rage on his solid form.

"Why?" she cried out, "Why did you bring him here?"

Hotch said nothing, knowing that she just needed to blame someone. Knowing that she just needed to get the anger out.

"Why did you bring him here?" she whimpered again, the emotions of the past months finally catching up with her.

Reaching his hands up, Hotch placed them on her shoulders, squeezing gently. But instead of offering comfort, Emily felt nothing.

Stepping out of his reach and shrugging his hands from her body, Emily looked up at Hotch and shook her head, "Don't."

And with that one word, Emily turned and ran out of the unit, following Zac's suit and taking the stairs.

Hotch stood still, watching her leave, knowing that the rest of the team was watching too. JJ stepped forward and placed a small hand on Hotch's shoulder, offering him some semblance of comfort. "Just give them some time." Hotch offered JJ a sad smile, before nodding and wandering back to his office.

When they heard his door slam, and saw the frames on the wall shake, the rest of the team knew it was time to go home.


	10. Chapter 10

_**AN: Hi everyone. Thanks for the reviews. I really appreciate them. I actually had a different chapter lined up, but decided that I should put this in. It's just a "little" between chapter, easing Emily's return in rather than jumping straight to it. It's a mammoth chapter, in comparison to the others but I hope you enjoy it. **_

**_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds. _**

* * *

><p><span>It's all relative<span>

"I will leave you girls to your… uh…" Will couldn't hide the smirk when he took in JJ and Emily, lying on the sofa, their faces covered in mud, "Call me if you need anything." He leant over and kissed the top of JJ's head, before leaving.

When she heard the front door close, JJ sat up and took the cucumber off her eyes, "So tell me," JJ probed, "What's it like?"

Emily wrinkled her brow and lifted a slice of cucumber, shooting a quizzical glance at her friend, "What's WHAT like?"

JJ huffed, "Uh… the younger man?" JJ chuckled, "I always assumed you were interested in… let's just say older, wiser, authority figures."

Emily choked on her water, sitting up and coughing while JJ pat her back, "Oh my god, JJ! Why would you even think that?"

JJ wrinkled her brow, "I just… I always thought you had a thing for Hotch, but now... after meeting Zac… He's cute. Nice butt."

Emily took in a deep breath and sighed, rubbing her temples, "Oh wow, Jayje... you really don't know. And after what you just said, you'll want to go and wash your mouth out with soap."

JJ raised her brow, "He's not your boyfriend?"

Emily shook her head, "He's not my boyfriend." She paused for a moment, "And we're related."

JJ wrinkled her brow, confused at her friend's statement. Was he a cousin, or a nephew… no… Emily never had any siblings, that's right. JJ mulled over the clues, then her eyes grew wide as she did the sums in her head.

"Oh… my… god… he's not."

Emily cleared her throat and nodded.

"You have a kid? I mean, he's not even a kid anymore… what is he like 24, 25 years old?"

Emily nodded again, "25 this year."

JJ bit her lip to stop from laughing, "So I guess you didn't really want me commenting on your son's butt huh?"

Emily chuckled and shrugged, "Not really a conversation I'd like to have, that's for sure."

JJ crossed her legs, quickly processing the information and deciding she needed more. She leant forward, "So… what was it like? Raising a child… all on your own… when you were in high school."

Emily rolled her eyes underneath the cucumber and groaned. JJ reached over and pushed her shoulder, "Cmon Em… you're my friend and I want to know… were you scared? How much did you parents help? Did Zac ever know who his father was?"

Emily sighed, sitting up and facing her friend. She crossed her legs and held the cucumber slices in her hands, looking up when she was ready. "It was no cake-walk, but I couldn't say it was a… struggle." She paused and smiled, "I had a lot of help from my folks, especially when I went to college. Zac stayed with my mother in DC while I was studying, then we'd spend all of my vacations together."

JJ nodded, "And his dad?"

Emily shook her head and smiled sadly, "He never really had a _dad_… of course he had a father but that was all John was to him… the guy who got me pregnant."

JJ wrinkled her brow, "John?"

Emily nodded, "John Cooley… his parents worked at the embassy in Rome."

JJ took a moment to process all of the information, lying back on the couch and putting her hand behind her head, "You know… Zac and Hotch spent _a lot _of time together while you were gone. If you did have a thing for Hotch, I don't think either of them would object to that."

Emily wrinkled her brow, "What do you mean? You didn't even know Zac was my son." Emily bit her lip, "And I do NOT have a "thing" for Hotch. He's just a... friend."

JJ shook her head, "That's true, I didn't know WHO Zac was, but I did know he existed… he and Hotch met up for lunch at least once a week, depending on our cases." She paused, turning to face Emily, "And I know for a fact that Rossi set Hotch up on a few dates in the past couple of months, and Zac babysat for him." JJ shook her head, "_AND _I know you, and I know Hotch... you both look at each other like you'd rather be ripping off each other's clothes or lying in bed on a lazy Sunday, reading the paper."

Emily wasn't sure which piece of news bothered her more, that her son had been growing close to Hotch, that JJ thought Hotch was attracted to her, or that Hotch had been on "a few" dates. As she thought about her reaction, Emily wondered about why she would be bothered that Hotch was dating, and for a moment thought that JJ was right. After all, he was a handsome, eligible bachelor. She'd often had daydreams about him, holding her at night while they slept, playing with their child (a little girl with Emily's dark curls and Hotch's dimples), and on the odd occasion, she had dreamt about what it would be like to make love to him. At that last thought, Emily was suddenly reminded of a dream she'd had one night in Paris. It wasn't anything sexual, but she had woken up the next morning with a deep desire and unsure of its' origin.

_It was abnormally hot for that time of year, and Emily had left the window open. The cool breeze eased it's way through her apartment, bringing with it the smell of lime and musk… Hotch's cologne. Emily curled up in bed, her eyes drooping as sleep took over, and she found herself in another world. _

_She opened her eyes and looked around the yard, the lawn freshly mown, a row of roses growing along the back fence. In the corner of the yard there was a tree, a long rope hanging from it, and tied to the end – a rubber tyre. In the other corner of the yard, a small cubby house with a front porch and a little rocking chair. _

_Emily sighed, letting her eyes close again. The sun was just touching her feet, warming her entire being. As she felt herself drifting off to sleep, she felt the mattress sink slightly, followed by rough calloused fingers brushing her hair back. After a moment, lips were just touching her ear, whispering sweet words. His voice was familiar, but Emily couldn't quite place it. She stirred at the sound, but stayed in sweet slumber. Just before she fell into a deep sleep, she heard those three small words: "I love you, Emily."_

* * *

><p>"So where's Jack tonight?"<p>

Hotch looked up as Rossi joined him in the den, passing over a healthy glass of scotch. He offered his friend a smile before answering, "Jessica took him to the Smithsonian for their "Lil Tykes and T-Rex's" night."

Rossi nodded, "So you decided to pay your old pal a visit huh?"

Hotch huffed and shrugged his shoulders, "Well I had nothing better to do," he smirked, "And at least here I'm guaranteed a decent drink."

Rossi chuckled and nodded, "So have you spo…" He was cut off by Hotch's "no" before he could even finish his sentence. "Neither of them?"

Hotch simply shook his head, taking a sip of his drink, "I don't want to push… I don't want to push them further away."

"Sounds like you're pretty invested… in both of them," Rossi remarked.

Hotch shook his head and stared at the glass in his hand, "I… They need each other. And I don't want to be the one to pull them apart."

Rossi wrinkled his brow, "Even if it means losing the woman you love?"

Hotch looked Rossi in the eye, "What are you talking about?"

Rossi shrugged, "If Zac and Emily get back together, then… well you know." Rossi paused, "I've known you've had feelings for her, probably longer than you have."

Hotch's eyes grew wide and he shook his head, "No, Dave… you've got it all wrong. I'm not worried that Emily would choose Zac over me… he's… I mean… I don't mean that I even _feel _that way about her but… he's not…"

Hotch watched Dave's face change as he started to understand what Emily's relationship was to Zac. "He's… you mean she… he's her son?"

Hotch nodded and waited for Rossi to digest that particular news before he continued, "I met Zac when I went to Emily's grave one day. He and Elizabeth were there. And we've just kind of developed a close friendship since. He's a really good kid."

Rossi nodded in understanding, his face changing gradually as he considered what this meant, "So are you going to tell her then? I mean, I assume there's no one else."

Hotch rolled his eyes, "What makes you think I do… and if I do, what makes you think I haven't already?"

Rossi huffed and shook his head, "For starters, you'd be an idiot if you didn't. And have you… told her?"

Hotch didn't answer his old friend, instead smiling as his mind traveled back in time…

_Hotch slowly made his way down the hall, his shoes clicking on the linoleum as he neared the door. He pulled out his credentials, flashing them to the guard at the door. The guard looked at his badge, then down at the clipboard in his hand, then back up at Hotch. He handed back the badge, then stepped aside for Hotch to enter. _

_He slowly opened the door, gently closing it behind him. From the entrance, all he could see was the large blue curtain draped around the outside of the bed. He made his way over to the curtain, slowly pulling it back and stepping behind it. His heart broke at the sight of her, lying in bed, attached to so many tubes. The tubes that gave her life. _

_He made his way to the side of the bed, reaching up to touch her hand. He wasn't sure if it was just him, but he could swear she shifted slightly at the touch. He looked up and down her body, her thin frame covered in the light blue hospital blankets. When he reached her face, he felt his heart constrict. _

_Hotch reached up, brushing a stray hair behind her ear and tucking it in. He leant forward and placed a gentle kiss on her pale forehead, his lips surprised at the coolness of her skin. His lips lingered for a moment, wishing he had the magical touch as the characters in the fairy tales he read to Jack. When she didn't miraculously wake, he sighed. Before standing to leave, he leant close to her ear, just touching his lips to her skin, "Just in case I never get to tell you again," Hotch paused, a tear escaping from his eye and dropping to the pillow, "I love you Emily Prentiss."_

* * *

><p>"How's the lamb? Not too dry?"<p>

Zac looked up, woken from his thoughts at the sound of his grandmother's question. He offered her a smile and shook his head, "It's wonderful, Grams," he replied, "Better than the cheeseburger I was intending to have for dinner."

Elizabeth smiled and shook her head, "It's no wonder you're so thin if that's all you were having for dinner Zachery." She paused, "You take after your mother in that respect… too thin."

Zac huffed and cleared his throat, "Why don't we just get straight down to it Grams? Save your diplomatic skills for the really important people?"

Elizabeth frowned and put her cutlery down, shaking her head in disappointment, "I understand that the last few weeks have been quite chaotic and confusing for you Zachery, but do not even begin to think that it gives you the right to be so rude. You are my guest and you will behave as such, or you can leave."

Zac swallowed hard, the last thing he'd wanted to do was be so rude to his grandmother, especially since she'd been just as shocked as he had to find out that his mother was still alive. He looked up apologetically and offered her a smile, "I'm sorry, Grams… I didn't mean to take it out on you." He paused and dropped his head, "I just… I'm so angry. And I don't know how to react, how to… whether or not I should even forgive her."

Elizabeth nodded in understanding, scooping some more lamb and yoghurt dressing onto her fork, "Thank for your apology, Zachery. Why don't we just change the subject?"

Zac nodded and smiled, taking a moment to thank god that she hadn't turned on him the moment those rude words escaped from his mouth. "So are you gearing up for the Yale/Harvard game?"

* * *

><p>Zac jumped when he saw the object drop onto the lounge next to him. Looking behind him, he saw Elizabeth smiling. He picked up the large album and wrinkled his brow, "What's this?"<p>

Elizabeth poured herself a martini, then made her way over and dropped next to her grandson. She tapped the front cover, "Open it."

Zac huffed when he opened to the front page, sighting a photo he'd seen many times before. A young Emily Prentiss, lying in a hospital bed with a tiny baby resting on her chest.

"Did I ever tell you the story of when your mother told us she was pregnant?"

Zac shook his head, taking in the details of the photo as Elizabeth reminisced.

"She had skipped school that day, to go to a doctor and have the pregnancy…" Elizabeth cleared her throat, choking up at the thought of life without Zachery, "The school had called to say that she hadn't attended that day, so your grandfather and I were waiting for her when she came home.

"She walked in the front door, her face showed she'd been crying. Her eyes were all red, her cheeks were puffy, she barely said a word when she saw us sitting in the lounge room.

"I asked her to come in and tell us about her day, completely ignoring how upset she look… I was furious. And embarrassed. The ambassador's daughter was supposed to be a good example for the other diplomats' children and I felt like she'd disappointed me.

"Emily started to make up a story about her day, about going to gym class and how in biology they'd dissected a frog… but I knew it was all a lie so I just started to talk over her. I said 'Emily Rose Prentiss. Don't you dare sit there and lie to me about school. I know for a fact that you did not go this morning, and the principal said that you hadn't attended any of your classes. Now I want the truth, and so help me God, if I don't get it, you'll be enrolled in boarding school quicker than you can say "Sorry Mother."'

"Her face dropped and she put her head in her hands, sobbing and crying. And all it made me was more and more angry. I had almost had enough and actually stood up to leave when she said it. 'I'm pregnant.'"

Zachery reached over and squeezed his grandmother's hand, already wracked with guilt at the idea that he'd ruined his grandparent's perfect plan for his mother's life.

"I remember dropping to the lounge again, and I know that Emily started to explain everything, but all I could hear was that one sentence… I'll never forget it."

Elizabeth pointed to another photo, of Simon holding Zachery in the hospital, a proud Elizabeth standing behind him.

"You were such a beautiful baby," she sighed, "You were blessed with your mother's eyes and dark hair, and your father's eyes."

Zac chuckled and nodded, "How did Mom fair… with the whole…?"

Elizabeth shrugged and smiled, "She did very well considering… Your grandfather was there in the beginning, and almost passed out," Elizabeth chuckled, "But your mother did wonderfully… and she was in absolute awe when you were finally here."

Zac smiled sadly and looked through more of the album, marveling at the quantity of photos, "What's this?" he asked, holding up a photo of he and his mom. She was dressed in a red dress, holding Zac who was dressed in a small tuxedo.

Elizabeth smiled and ran her finger over the photo, "This was the post-graduation dinner where your mother was awarded valedictorian."

Zac shook his head and sighed, "I almost forgot how much she managed to achieve, even with a mistake like me."

Elizabeth wrinkled her brow and turned, reaching up to brush Zac's hair, "You were never a mistake, sweetheart… Sure you were unexpected, but your mother loved you from the moment she found out. It's why she couldn't go through with the abortion. She knew that she would always love you."

Zac sighed and habitually glanced at his watch, "It's getting late, I should go."

Elizabeth stood when Zac did, reaching over for the album. But instead of handing it over, he wrinkled his brow and looked down, "Do you think I could hang onto this for the timebeing?"

Elizabeth nodded and smiled, "Take all the time you need, Zachery. She'll be waiting when you're ready."


	11. Chapter 11

Let's Make Pizza!

*_Knock knock knock_*

Hotch looked up from the pizzas and smiled at Jack, "Why don't you finish putting the pepperoni on, and I'll go see who that is?"

Jack looked up at his dad and nodded, "Ok Daddy."

Hotch kissed the top of his son's head and smiled, before turning to head down the hall. It was nights like this that were to be cherished, and Hotch could only hope that it wasn't something bad on the other side of the door.

When he reached the door he looked through the peephole and wrinkled his brow. Sighing heavily, he unlocked the deadbolt and smiled awkwardly.

"Hi," Zac said nervously, holding up a hand in a wave.

Hotch nodded, before stepping back to let Zac into the front hall, "Come on in, Zac. We're just in the kitchen making pizzas."

Just as Hotch shut the door, both men looked up and saw Jack poking his head around the corner to the kitchen.

"Zac!" the five-year old called out as he ran down the hall. He jumped straight into Zac's arms and wrapped his arms around his neck, squeezing tight.

"Hey Jacky boy! How you doin?" Zac cried out, squeezing back.

Hotch huffed and tapped Jack's shoulders, "Cmon buddy, hop down… you've got sauce all over your hands."

Zac shrugged as he placed Jack on the ground again, smiling happily, "A little ketchup never hurt anyone."

He followed the two Hotchner men down the hall to the kitchen, where Hotch handed him some paper towel to wipe the ketchup from the back of his neck. Once Hotch had put the pizzas in the oven, he turned to his son and tipped his head towards the living room, "Why don't you go and pick a movie for us to watch while Zac and I talk?"

Jack's shoulders dropped, but he obeyed his dad and slouched off to the living room, leaving the grown ups in the kitchen.

Zac accepted a beer from Hotch and followed him outside, onto the large deck at the back of the house. Hotch sat in one of the chairs at the dining table, while Zac leaned against the railing.

Zac took a quick sip of his drink, before he looked up at an expectant Hotch. "I'm sorry it's been so long… I… I didn't know what to say."

Hotch nodded and smiled sadly, "I wasn't really expecting to hear from you again… I figured you'd never want to speak to me after… well after."

Zac huffed and nodded, "I thought about that," he looked up and offered Hotch a smile, "Then I thought to myself that I didn't want to lose more family. I've lost enough this year."

Hotch nodded again, nervously.

The two men waited in silence for a moment, both parties deciding what to say next, and what was best to just leave.

"I'm sorry, Zac. I'm sorry you had to find out like that… and that I lied to you," Hotch stated, just above a whisper. He dropped his head in shame, staring at his feet, afraid to look up... afraid of the look he would find on Zac's face.

"Hotch…" Zac paused and sighed, pulling out a chair and sitting directly in front of his friend, "Hotch… you did what you had to do. You did what you did to protect Jack and Mom and the rest of your team… and without knowing it, you did it to protect me."

Hotch looked up and nodded, "I did. I would never have hurt you on purpose." He paused for a moment, before deciding he needed to say it, "Zac, you're more than just the son of a colleague… you're more than just a friend now. I feel…" he huffed and dropped his head, "I have Jack... and in a way... I now have another son."

Zac smiled and nodded, "I feel the same way man."

Both men remained silent for a moment, staring at their feet.

"So what… do we hug now or…?" Zac joked, breaking the silence.

Hotch shot him an incredulous look and chuckled, sitting back in his seat. Pausing their conversation to let the words sink in, Zac and Hotch just sat back, watching the backyard and thinking about where they would go from here. There was so much Hotch still had to do, convincing Emily that what he'd done was the right thing coming first on the list. Convincing her to take a chance on him, number 2.

"Have you spoken to her yet?" Hotch asked after a moment, looking over at the young man.

Zac shook his head and scratched at the label on his beer, "I got in my car a couple of times, but once I turned the key I just… I couldn't do it." He paused, "I know I need to forgive her. I've forgiven you, but... she's my _Mom_. We've always had a honesty policy in our house and now... I dunno. It's not easy."

Hotch nodded and took a sip of his beer, "It's all going to take some time. It took you two weeks to come around here again. And as you said… I'm a friend. She's your mom. So don't expect it to happen straight away."

Zac nodded, "Has she forgiven you yet, for telling me?"

Hotch shook his head, and Zac huffed. "I'm still in the doghouse, unfortunately," Hotch sighed, "But I've got a plan."

"Don't wait too long, Hotch. You've lost enough time as it is."

Hotch chuckled and nodded, pointing his beer at Zac "Thanks for the advice Pot, but Kettle's got it covered."


	12. Chapter 12

**_AN: Hey all. Thanks for the great reviews. Glad you're enjoying the story. After this chapter there's two more so... Please keep reading and reviewing. _**

**_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds. _**

* * *

><p><strong><strong>You should go

"Coming!" Emily called at the knock at the door. She grabbed her purse from the small table in the hall and jogged to greet the pizza boy. Checking the peephole, she sighed in frustration.

"Hi Mother," Emily sighed as she pulled open the door. Elizabeth stepped through the door and pulled her daughter into a tight hug against her will.

"Hello Emily," Elizabeth answered. She turned as Emily closed the door and handed over her coat. "I thought I'd stop in on my way to a meeting at Homeland Security."

Emily nodded and tipped her head down the hall, "Come in Mother." Heading into the kitchen, Emily watched her mother walk through to the lounge, "Can I get you anything? Tea, coffee?"

Elizabeth shook her head and smiled, "No thank you sweetheart. I just wanted to stop in and see how you were… haven't heard from you in a couple of weeks and I was getting worried."

"There's no need to be worried, Mother, I'm not planning to disappear anytime soon," Emily called out from the kitchen.

Elizabeth huffed and shook her head, "That's not what I was concerned about," she paused and looked up, watching Emily make her way into the room, "I spoke with Zachery yesterday."

Emily rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Mother..." she sighed exasperatedly, "Did you come here just to tell me you had a conversation with my son or is there something else I can help you with?" Emily stood and crossed her arms, "I'm sorry for what happened, I'm sorry that I lied to you. And I'm sorry you all had to go through that," a tear dropped down Emily's cheek and she quickly wiped it away, "But I did this for my family. For Hotch and the others, for you... and for Zac."

Elizabeth stood and made her way over to where Emily stood. Reaching up, Elizabeth gently wiped the moisture from Emily's cheek and offered her a sad smile, "Emily, you know that I realize that. And so does Zachery." She paused and squeezed her daughter's hand, "But Zachery has had his time to be angry, and now you both need to forgive."

Emily wrinkled her brow, "Who do I need to forgive?" she asked, confused at the suggestion. All she had thought for the past months was how she was the one who needed forgiving. From Zac, her parents, Hotch, and the rest of the team.

"Aaron."

Emily huffed and shook her head, "I was upset at the time, Mother. I don't hold any ill-feelings towards Aaron."

Elizabeth wrinkled her brow and eyed her daughter suspiciously, "If that were true, Emily, you wouldn't be sitting at home on a Friday night, ordering take-out." Elizabeth paused, huffing at the embarrassed look on Emily's face. She reached up and brushed a loose hair behind Emily's ear and sighed, "I may have insisted on the importance of hard work and a commitment to your job, but I never taught you how important it is to be happy, Em. I don't want you waking up in ten years time, looking back on your life, and regretting that you didn't take a chance because you were too focused on chasing monsters."

Emily was silently stunned, simply standing there while her mother leant up and kissed her on the cheek. She barely even registered her mother's voice when she said she'd let herself out. Emily wasn't sure how long she stood there on that spot, her heart beating fast in her chest, and her mind processing what her mother had said.

Before she knew what was happening, Emily was grabbing her sneakers, purse, and keys, and pulling open the door. Almost giving the poor delivery guy a heart attack, Emily rifled through her purse, handing over a $50 note, "Keep the change... I gotta go," she called out to the pizza boy. Running down the hall, pizza in hand, Emily started to think about what she might say when she got there.

* * *

><p>"So how's the team dealing with Emily's return?" Jessie asked, glancing over at Jack playing in the sandbox, before returning her attention to her friend.<p>

Hotch shrugged, "Everyone has reacted in completely different ways. Garcia was thrilled, and still is. Rossi was completely understanding, and has just offered to be everyone's sounding board. Reid was a little upset at first, but he's relieved that he's got his confidante back. And Morgan... well... he basically just pissed off."

Jessie nodded and turned back to watching Jack play with his new friend. "And what about you, Hotch?"

The two sat in silence, Hotch debating how much to tell Jessie. It wasn't that she would be angry if he told her about his true feelings for Emily, but Haley would always be her sister, so Hotch knew to tread carefully. "I'm... I know I did the right thing in telling Zac the truth. I guess... I just wish I could make Emily understand why I did it. It's hard for her, she hasn't been around this whole time that I've been getting to know Zac... hell I didn't even know he existed until I saw him at the cemetery." Hotch paused and cleared his throat, staring at his hands in his lap, "I guess I just wish Emily would give me the time to explain so we can put all of this behind us and move forward."

Jessi smiled and turned to look at Hotch, "So it's true?"

Hotch wrinkled his brow, "What's true?"

Jessie bit her lip, her eyes sparkling, "You really do have feelings for her."

Hotch's heart beat and his palms became sweaty, "I..." he cleared his throat, confused by the elated look on Jessie's face where he'd been expecting fear and loathing, "I think I love her."

Jessie nodded and huffed, "It's about time you owned up."

Hotch wrinkled his brow again and shook his head, turning to face Jessie, "So you're not upset? I mean... I... I figured you'd hate me."

Jessie shook her head and reached over to squeeze Hotch's hand, "Aaron, you're my brother and I love you. And I want you to be happy. And if Emily can make that happen, then go for it... that is if she wants it too." Jessie paused and frowned, "Does she?"

Hotch shrugged and shook his head, "I had thought... maybe... when I first saw her come off the plane. But now... after what happened... I just don't know anymore."

Jessie flicked her wrist, checking her watch, and bit her lip, "You should go to her."

Hotch looked over in surprise, "What are you talking about?"

Jessie shrugged and smiled, "You should go... tell her how you feel and see what she says." When Hotch gave her an incredulous look, Jessie shook her head, "No, Aaron... you've wasted all this time while she was in Europe, and now you're wasting even more. You need to tell her how you feel, before it's too late."

Hotch looked over to where his son was playing, but before he could object, Jessie spoke up again, "I can take care of Jack, get him home, get him some dinner," she assured him, "You need to go and talk to Emily."

Jessie watched proudly as Hotch's expression changed. Slowly the wrinkle in his brow eased and he grinned at her. Pulling her into a tight hug, he kissed the top of her head, "Thanks Jess." He stood and looked over at his son, deciding against interrupting his play, before he turned back to Jessie and smiled, "Wish me luck."

"Good luck," Jessie replied, smiling proudly as she watched Hotch run down the path and out of the park in the direction of the house. As she sat back in the seat, Jessie smiled and waved at Jack, the young boy waving back and grinning. She sighed and wondered how all of this would turn out, whether Hotch would have his friend again, or maybe something more.


	13. Chapter 13

**_AN: Thanks again for the great reviews. Only one more chapter after this. I'm glad you liked the Jessie/Elizabeth pushing storyline. I think they're two vastly underused characters on the show. Although it's not a romance-drama. If it were, I'd be out of a job. _**

**_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds. _**

* * *

><p><span>We should talk<span>

"I know you were doing the right thing, Hotch. I've had time to think, and to process. And although my son still isn't speaking to me, and half the team is still upset about everything that happened, I wanted to let you know how grateful I am for everything you did. While I was gone, and since I've been back. And I wanted to tell you that…"

Emily growled in frustration at the traffic, a seemingly placid Friday afternoon turned into a nightmare for commuters. Even though it was usually only a ten minute drive from her apartment to Hotch's new place, a five-car pile up was turning that ten minutes into an eternity.

She really didn't understand why she felt so hurried, but suddenly the prospect of telling Hotch how much he meant to her, and telling him how she felt about him… it suddenly seemed urgent.

Emily's car rolled forward ever-so-slightly, her enthusiasm rising with each inch she moved, until she eventually made it through the worst of it. Gradually, the traffic's speed increased until they finally reached the speed limit once more. As she rounded the corner of Hotch's street and pulled up outside, Emily's heart began to beat fast.

Emily practically flew from her car, getting caught in the seatbelt as she tried to get loose, and running up the path without even thinking, in her hands a peace-offering. She stopped suddenly at the door, giving herself a moment to breathe, before she lightly tapped on the large wooden door.

Footsteps on the floorboards drew near, each step causing Emily's heart rate to increase, until the sound of the chain being unlatched. Looking up and preparing her speech, Emily's jaw dropped.

"Jessie."

"Emily," the blonde replied, stunned and unable to form more words. Opening the screen door, Jessie offered a smile, "I… What can I do for you?"

Emily found herself unable to form words herself, instead returning Jessie's smile. As she opened her mouth to speak, her cell rang. Glancing at the caller ID, she wrinkled her brow. *Blocked ID* Emily hit reject, and looked up at Jessie.

"Is Aaron here?" she asked nervously, not sure of how welcome she would be if she told the woman about her intentions.

Jessie bit her lip, opening her mouth to speak. But as before, Emily's phone rang, pausing the conversation.

Emily groaned in frustration and hit the green button and lifted the device to her ear, "What?"

* * *

><p>Hotch slammed his hand into the steering wheel, taking his anger out on his unsuspecting car. Trust his luck, that on the one day he needs clear roads from his house to Emily's, there's a multi-vehicle accident, causing traffic chaos.<p>

He sighed, the car rolling forward with the rest of the frustrated commuters, grateful that at least it wasn't a complete standstill. He was only grateful that he would turn off this wrecked road at the next intersection.

A frustrating ten minutes later, Hotch stepped on the accelerator, speeding up hastily until he hit the corner. And two minutes after that, he pulled into the visitor's carpark outside Emily's complex, not even bothering to lock his car before he started towards the building.

He slowed down enough in the elevator, tapping his foot on the ground as the car rose. When the doors slowly opened, he squeezed through before they'd even had the chance to open the whole way. Seconds later, he was standing in front of her door, his hand poised to knock.

Knocking assuredly, Hotch stood back and waited. After a minute or so had passed, he knocked again. Sighing in frustration, and figuring it was just his luck that Emily would be out at this very moment, Hotch knocked again.

He reached into his pocket and hit the speed dial on his cell, waiting as the phone rang. "_Hi, this is Emily. Leave a message and I'll try and get back to you… BEEP_." Hotch growled and hung up without leaving a message, staring down at his cell.

Thinking that Emily might've been in the shower all this time, he tried knocking again, but again, there was no answer. He hit the number again and waited, the phone ringing longer than before. This time, he heard a click.

"_What?_"

Hotch huffed and shook his head, "Where are you?"

Emily paused, "_I'm at your house, where are you?_"

Hotch chuckled and bit his lip, "I'm at your place." He paused and looked down at his feet, "Great minds think alike huh?"

Emily huffed, "_Depends what you're thinking." _Emily paused,_ "You wait there. I'll be there as soon as I can._" Before he could answer, Emily was gone.

* * *

><p>Hotch had watched every saved video on his cell, with some as old as Jack, when he finally heard the bell for the elevator. Looking up as he stood, a grin grew on his face when he saw her step off. He ran down the hall, meeting her half-way, and pulling her into a kiss, every word that he'd rehearsed, since leaving Jessie in the park, flying out the window.<p>

Emily gasped when Hotch's lips met hers, his hands locking behind her waist. Their lips held firm until both of them were screaming for air. Pulling away, Emily's breath was heavy, her heart beating fast.

"Hi."

Hotch chuckled, the dimples prominent in his cheeks as he leant forward again and kissed her gently, "Hi," he whispered back.

Emily looked at his lips, then gradually moved up his face until their eyes met.

"I think I love you Aaron Hotchner," she whispered gently, running her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck.

"I _know _I love you Emily Prentiss," he replied, running his hands down her back and around to her hips.

Emily cleared her throat, scared to speak but having so much to say. Taking his hands in her own, she squeezed them gently and nodded towards the door, "Would you like to come inside?" she asked, "We should talk."

Hotch nodded, linking their hands together and following her to the door. He stood back, massaging her shoulders and kissing her hair while she unlocked the door, following her inside and closing it gently behind him.


	14. Chapter 14

**_AN: So this is the last chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing and I'll see you all when I update "Indefinable." I know a few people were wondering if I'd outline the conversation between Hotch and Emily, but I think I already hit the highlights ("I love you") and the rest is fairly obvious: Hotch ("I think of your son as my son" "You have a son, I have a son, you've got a Declan... the only combination we haven't got is a child of our own... what do you think?") and Emily ("I wanna have your babies" and "Show me those scars hot stuff"). So jumping straight to the last chapter..._**

**_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds. _**

* * *

><p><span>You're my mom<span>

The sun warm on her skin; a slight breeze shifting her hair; the sounds of laughter and of children squealing; the smell of steaks on the grill; the taste of cold apple cider. This was the summer she had dreamed about during her… exile… in Europe.

Emily smiled as JJ slid into the chair beside her, before turning her eyes back to the boys playing in the backyard. They squealed as they shot water at each other, laughing and giggling, free from the cares of their parents.

"He looks good," the blond sighed, smiling at the contented look on her friend's face.

Emily huffed and grinned, the dimples showing in her cheeks, "He does… I think he's gonna get through this."

JJ nodded, reaching over to squeeze Emily's hand, "I think we all will."

The two women sat in silence, watching the kids in the yard, the adults on the deck… thinking about everything that it took to get to this moment. Emily's eyes wandered over to Hotch, standing next to the grill with Rossi by his side, the two men laughing as they cooked the meat.

Emily thought back on that wonderful conversation, awkward though it was. By the end of that night, they'd discussed the past months, the current situation, and their future together. Emily couldn't help the grin that formed on her face, thinking back on what had happened after the conversation. She could practically feel Hotch's arms around her waist as they slept, their bodies intertwined until morning.

The doorbell rang, waking Emily from her daydreams, and Hotch handed the tongs over to his old friend, then turned to head inside. As he passed Emily and JJ, he reached down to squeeze Emily's shoulder and winked. Emily smiled back, before turning to find a curious wrinkle on JJ's forehead.

"What was that about, young lady?" JJ probed, poking Emily's arm.

Emily chuckled and shrugged, opening her mouth to speak. But before any words could come out, she heard Jack call out the one name that could make her heart skip a beat.

"Zac!"

Emily and JJ's eyes followed as the small boy ran straight past them and threw himself at the young man. Emily immediately stood up when she saw her son pick up Hotch's and hug him tight. Zachery looked up, smiling, and whispered something in Jack's ear before placing him on the ground again. Jack stood proudly beside his older friend, glancing over at Emily and offering her a beautiful smile. Zachery followed Jack's eyeline, looking directly at his mom.

Then, before Emily had time to process even his presence, Zachery was standing right in front of her.

Zac's arms wrapped around her shoulders, her face was against his chest. It only took a second before her arms wrapped around his waist and she felt the tears drop down her face. Emily found it impossible to breath, hugging her son so tightly, but she was scared to loosen her hold, afraid that he would disappear. Afraid that this would all be a dream and the reality was that he still hated her.

The rest of the team watched in surprise as Emily embraced Hotch's mystery friend. The others had seen him around the office, when he and Hotch had met for lunch… but no one had known who this man was. It was clear to each of them that there was a juicy back-story to explain all of this, but for the moment, Emily was wrapped up in the young man, and Hotch was looking on with pride.

After a few moments of simply holding each other, Zac stepped back, holding Emily's face in his hands. He leant forward, their foreheads touching, and tears streaming down both of their faces.

"Does this mean you forgive me? Please say you forgive me…" Emily's voice choked on her tears.

"You're my mom, of course I forgive you… but… I thought you were gone," Zac whispered, "You have to understand that it broke my heart. I thought you were gone."

Emily choked on her tears, before swallowing over the hard lump in her throat.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I just…" she sniffed as she stepped back slightly, running her fingers through his long dark curls, "I couldn't lose you… I know you don't understand, but trust me… please."

Zac wiped his sleeve across his face and shook his head, "I understand," he replied, "Hotch helped me understand."

Emily wrinkled her brow and looked over her son's shoulder, seeing Hotch standing just outside the door, watching them from a distance. She gently pat Zac's chest, before moving out of his grip and walking steadily to where Hotch stood. She reached up and placed a hand on his cheek, willing him to look up from his feet and into her eyes. When he wouldn't (couldn't) meet her gaze, she stood on her toes and gently kissed the corner of his mouth, her lips staying there momentarily.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, her heart beating fast as she saw the tear drop down his face.

He smiled sadly and nodded, "Of course, Emily…" he paused and moved his head up until their eyes met, "I'd do anything for you." Slowly his hand moved up, his rough, calloused fingers wiping the tear that dropped down her cheek.

The two agents simply stared at each other, for what seemed like eternity, while the others just watched on, confused, when suddenly Emily felt two small arms wrap around her waist.

Emily and Hotch looked down to see the blond-haired 12-year old smiling up at them. Emily broke out of Hotch's hold and ran her fingers through the boy's curls, kissing the top of his head. Leaning down, she whispered in his ear, "I have someone I'd like you to meet."

Taking the boy's hand, Emily walked the two of them over to where Zachery stood, smiling at her son.

"Zachery, I'd like you to meet Declan," Emily started, "Declan, this is my son Zachery."

Zachery wrinkled his brow, before looking up at Hotch. At the older man's nod, realization swept over him and he looked back at the small boy next to his mother. Stepping forward, Zachery knelt down to the boy's eye level and held out his hand, "It's great to meet you Declan."

Declan looked up at Emily warily, acknowledging her nod, before he turned back to Zachery. Holding out his water pistol, Declan smiled, "Would you like to play with us?"

Zachery grinned and nodded, taking the proffered gun, "I'd love to."

Emily watched on with pride as Zac followed Declan down to the grass, where Jack was waiting with another water pistol. A grin spread from ear to ear when the two younger boys squirted Zac at the same time. He fired back, chasing them across the lawn.

Emily's heart started to beat even faster when she felt him move next to her, his arm brushing against hers as he reached over and gently intertwined their fingers. She tipped her head to the side and sighed, Hotch lowering his head so that when he spoke she could feel his breath on her ear, "When you find yourself doubting that you did the right thing… just remember this moment Emily, and it'll all seem worth it."

Emily turned to face him, staring right into his eyes and taking his other hand in her spare one. Then, as their entire family looked on, Emily stood on her tiptoes and gently touched her lips to his. As they both stepped back, Emily offered Hotch a bright smile.

"What was that for?" Hotch asked, a smile growing on his face.

Emily reached up and brushed her fingers through his hair, "For giving me back my family." As she stepped back, Emily held Hotch's gaze, absolutely enthralled in the dark orbs that stared back at her. She didn't know what the future held for them, but Emily knew that she had Hotch, she had Zac, she had Declan, and she had Jack. As long as that remained true, she was set.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: And as they say in showbiz, that's all folks. I hope you enjoyed the story. I was going to add another chapter but decided against it. Everyone's back in the picture, and Hotch and Emily have their family now so I thought it was time to close off. Hope it lived up to your expectations. <em>**


End file.
